twenty years after(二十年后)-第49部分

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They　approached　the　spot　where　the　unfortunate　victims　lay。

31
The　Monk。

Two　men　lay　prone　upon　the　ground；　one　bathed　in　blood　and
motionless；　with　his　face　toward　the　earth；　this　one　was
dead。　The　other　leaned　against　a　tree；　supported　there　by
the　two　valets；　and　was　praying　fervently；　with　clasped
hands　and　eyes　raised　to　Heaven。　He　had　received　a　ball　in
his　thigh；　which　had　broken　the　bone。　The　young　men　first
approached　the　dead　man。
〃He　is　a　priest；〃　said　Bragelonne；　〃he　has　worn　the　tonsure。
Oh；　the　scoundrels！　to　lift　their　hands　against　a　minister
of　God。〃
〃Come　here；　sir；〃　said　Urban；　an　old　soldier　who　had　served
under　the　cardinal　duke　in　all　his　campaigns；　〃come　here；
there　is　nothing　to　be　done　with　him；　whilst　we　may　perhaps
be　able　to　save　the　other。〃
The　wounded　man　smiled　sadly。　〃Save　me！　Oh；　no！〃　said　he；
〃but　help　me　to　die；　if　you　can。〃
〃Are　you　a　priest？〃　asked　Raoul。
〃No　sir。〃
〃I　ask；　as　your　unfortunate　companion　appeared　to　me　to
belong　to　the　church。〃
〃He　is　the　curate　of　Bethune；　sir；　and　was　carrying　the　holy
vessels　belonging　to　his　church；　and　the　treasure　of　the
chapter；　to　a　safe　place；　the　prince　having　abandoned　our
town　yesterday；　and　as　it　was　known　that　bands　of　the　enemy
were　prowling　about　the　country；　no　one　dared　to　accompany
the　good　man；　so　I　offered　to　do　so。
〃And；　sir；〃　continued　the　wounded　man；　〃I　suffer　much　and
would　like；　if　possible；　to　be　carried　to　some　house。〃
〃Where　you　can　be　relieved？〃　asked　De　Guiche。
〃No；　where　I　can　confess。〃
〃But　perhaps　you　are　not　so　dangerously　wounded　as　you
think；〃　said　Raoul。
〃Sir；〃　replied　the　wounded　man；　〃believe　me；　there　is　no
time　to　lose；　the　ball　has　broken　the　thigh　bone　and　entered
the　intestines。〃
〃Are　you　a　surgeon？〃　asked　De　Guiche。
〃No；　but　I　know　a　little　about　wounds；　and　mine；　I　know；　is
mortal。　Try；　therefore；　either　to　carry　me　to　some　place
where　I　may　see　a　priest　or　take　the　trouble　to　send　one　to
me　here。　It　is　my　soul　that　must　be　saved；　as　for　my　body；
it　is　lost。〃
〃To　die　whilst　doing　a　good　deed！　It　is　impossible。　God　will
help　you。〃
〃Gentlemen；　in　the　name　of　Heaven！〃　said　the　wounded　man；
collecting　all　his　forces；　as　if　to　get　up；　〃let　us　not　lose
time　in　useless　words。　Either　help　me　to　gain　the　nearest
village　or　swear　to　me　on　your　salvation　that　you　will　send
me　the　first　monk；　the　first　cure；　the　first　priest　you　may
meet。　But；〃　he　added　in　a　despairing　tone；　〃perhaps　no　one
will　dare　to　come　for　it　is　known　that　the　Spaniards　are
ranging　through　the　country；　and　I　shall　die　without
absolution。　My　God！　my　God！　Good　God！　good　God！〃　added　the
wounded　man；　in　an　accent　of　terror　which　made　the　young　men
shudder；　〃you　will　not　allow　that？　that　would　be　too
terrible！〃
〃Calm　yourself；　sir；〃　replied　De　Guiche。　〃I　swear　to　you；
you　shall　receive　the　consolation　that　you　ask。　Only　tell　us
where　we　shall　find　a　house　at　which　we　can　demand　aid　and　a
village　from　which　we　can　fetch　a　priest。〃
〃Thank　you；　and　God　reward　you！　About　half　a　mile　from　this；
on　the　same　road；　there　is　an　inn；　and　about　a　mile　further
on；　after　leaving　the　inn；　you　will　reach　the　village　of
Greney。　There　you　must　find　the　curate；　or　if　he　is　not　at
home；　go　to　the　convent　of　the　Augustines；　which　is　the　last
house　on　the　right；　and　bring　me　one　of　the　brothers。　Monk
or　priest；　it　matters　not；　provided　only　that　he　has
received　from　holy　church　the　power　of　absolving　in　articulo
mortis。〃
〃Monsieur　d'Arminges；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃remain　beside　this
unfortunate　man　and　see　that　he　is　removed　as　gently　as
possible。　The　vicomte　and　myself　will　go　and　find　a　priest。〃
〃Go；　sir；〃　replied　the　tutor；　〃but　in　Heaven's　name　do　not
expose　yourself　to　danger！〃
〃Do　not　fear。　Besides；　we　are　safe　for　to…day；　you　know　the
axiom；　‘Non　bis　in　idem。'〃
〃Courage；　sir；〃　said　Raoul　to　the　wounded　man。　〃We　are　going
to　execute　your　wishes。〃
〃May　Heaven　prosper　you！〃　replied　the　dying　man；　with　an
accent　of　gratitude　impossible　to　describe。
The　two　young　men　galloped　off　in　the　direction　mentioned
and　in　ten　minutes　reached　the　inn。　Raoul；　without
dismounting；　called　to　the　host　and　announced　that　a　wounded
man　was　about　to　be　brought　to　his　house　and　begged　him　in
the　meantime　to　prepare　everything　needful。　He　desired　him
also；　should　he　know　in　the　neighborhood　any　doctor　or
chirurgeon；　to　fetch　him；　taking　on　himself　the　payment　of
the　messenger。
The　host；　who　saw　two　young　noblemen；　richly　clad；　promised
everything　they　required；　and　our　two　cavaliers；　after
seeing　that　preparations　for　the　reception　were　actually
begun；　started　off　again　and　proceeded　rapidly　toward
Greney。
They　had　gone　rather　more　than　a　league　and　had　begun　to
descry　the　first　houses　of　the　village；　the　red…tiled　roofs
of　which　stood　out　from　the　green　trees　which　surrounded
them；　when；　coming　toward　them　mounted　on　a　mule；　they
perceived　a　poor　monk；　whose　large　hat　and　gray　worsted
dress　made　them　take　him　for　an　Augustine　brother。　Chance
for　once　seemed　to　favor　them　in　sending　what　they　were　so
assiduously　seeking。　He　was　a　man　about　twenty…two　or
twenty…three　years　old；　but　who　appeared　much　older　from
ascetic　exercises。　His　complexion　was　pale；　not　of　that
deadly　pallor　which　is　a　kind　of　neutral　beauty；　but　of　a
bilious；　yellow　hue；　his　colorless　hair　was　short　and
scarcely　extended　beyond　the　circle　formed　by　the　hat　around
his　head；　and　his　light　blue　eyes　seemed　destitute　of　any
expression。
〃Sir；〃　began　Raoul；　with　his　usual　politeness；　〃are　you　an
ecclesiastic？〃
〃Why　do　you　ask　me　that？〃　replied　the　stranger；　with　a
coolness　which　was　barely　civil。
〃Because　we　want　to　know；〃　said　De　Guiche；　haughtily。
The　stranger　touched　his　mule　with　his　heel　and　continued
his　way。
In　a　second　De　Guiche　had　sprung　before　him　and　barred　his
passage。　〃Answer；　sir；〃　exclaimed　he；　〃you　have　been　asked
politely；　and　every　question　is　worth　an　answer。〃
〃I　suppose　I　am　free　to　say　or　not　to　say　who　I　am　to　two
strangers　who　take　a　fancy　to　ask　me。〃
It　was　with　difficulty　that　De　Guiche　restrained　the　intense
desire　he　had　of　breaking　the　monk's　bones。
〃In　the　first　place；〃　he　said；　making　an　effort　to　control
himself；　〃we　are　not　people　who　may　be　treated　anyhow；　my
friend　there　is　the　Viscount　of　Bragelonne　and　I　am　the
Count　de　Guiche。　Nor　was　it　from　caprice　we　asked　the
question；　for　there　is　a　wounded　and　dying　man　who　demands
the　succor　of　the　church。　If　you　be　a　priest；　I　conjure　you
in　the　name　of　humanity　to　follow　me　to　aid　this　man；　if　you
be　not；　it　is　a　different　matter；　and　I　warn　you　in　the　name
of　courtesy；　of　which　you　appear　profoundly　ignorant；　that　I
shall　chastise　you　for　your　insolence。〃
The　pale　face　of　the　monk　became　so　livid　and　his　smile　so
strange；　that　Raoul；　whose　eyes　were　still　fixed　upon　him；
felt　as　if　this　smile　had　struck　to　his　heart　like　an
insult。
〃He　is　some　Spanish　or　Flemish　spy；〃　said　he；　putting　his
hand　to　his　pistol。　A　glance；　threatening　and　transient　as
lightning；　replied　to　Raoul。
〃Well；　sir；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃are　you　going　to　reply？〃
〃I　am　a　priest；〃　said　the　young　man。
〃Then；　father；〃　said　Raoul；　forcing　himself　to　convey　a
respect　by　speech　that　did　not　come　from　his　heart；　〃if　you
are　a　priest　you　have　an　opportunity；　as　my　friend　has　told
you；　of　exercising　your　vocation。　At　the　next　inn　you　will
find　a　wounded　man；　now　being　attended　by　our　servants；　who
has　asked　the　assistance　of　a　minister　of　God。〃
〃I　will　go；〃　said　the　monk。
And　he　touched　his　mule。
〃If　you　do　not　go；　sir；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃remember　that　we
have　two　steeds　able　to　catch　your　mule　and　the　power　of
having　you　seized　wherever　you　may　be；　and　then　I　swear　your
trial　will　be　summary；　one　can　always　find　a　tree　and　a
cord。〃
The　monk's　eye　again　flashed；　but　that　was　all；　he　merely
repeated　his　phrase；　〃I　will　go；〃　　and　he　went。
〃Let　us　follow　him；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃it　will　be　the　surest
plan。〃
〃I　was　about　to　propose　so　doing；〃　answered　De　Bragelonne。
In　the　space　of　five　minutes　the　monk　turned　around　to
ascertain　whether　he　was　followed　or　not。
〃You　see；〃　said　Raoul；　〃we　have　done　wisely。〃
〃What　a　horrible　face　that　monk　has；〃　said　De　Guiche。
〃Horrible！〃　replied　Raoul；　〃especially　in　expression。〃
〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　De　Guiche；　〃a　strange　face；　but　these　monks
are　subject　to　such　degrading　practices；　their　fasts　make
them　pale；　the　blows　of　the　discipline　make　them　hypocrites；
and　their　eyes　become　inflamed　through　weeping　for　the　good
things　of　this　life　we　common　folk　enjoy；　but　they　have
lost。〃
〃Well；〃　said　Raoul；　〃the　poor　man　will　get　his　priest；　but；
by　Heaven；　the　penitent　appears　to　me　to　have　a　better
conscience　than　the　confessor。　I　confess　I　am　accustomed　to
priests　of　a　very　different　appearance。〃
〃Ah！〃　exclaimed　De　Guiche；　〃you　must　understand　that　this　is
one　of　those　wandering　brothers；　who　go　begging　on　the　high
road　until　some　day　a　benefice　falls　down　from　Heaven　on
them；　they　are　mostly　foreigners　　Scotch；　Irish　or　Danish。
I　have　seen　them　before。〃
〃As　ugly？〃
〃No；　but　reasonably　hideous。〃
〃What　a　misfortune　for　the　wounded　man　to　die　under　the
hands　of　such　a　friar！〃
〃Pshaw！〃　said　De　Guiche。　〃Absolution　comes　not　from　him　who
administers　it；　but　from　God。　However；　for　my　part；　I　would
rather　die　unshriven　than　have　anything　to　say　to　such　a
confessor。　You　are　of　my　opinion；　are　you　not；　viscount？　and
I　see　you　playing　with　the　pommel　of　your　sword；　as　if　you
had　a　great　inclination　to　break　the　holy　father's　head。〃
〃Yes；　count；　it　is　a　strange　thing　and　one　which　might
astonish　you；　but　I　feel　an　indescribable　horror　at　the
sight　of　yonder　man。　Have　you　ever　seen　a　snake　rise　up　on
your　path？〃
〃Never；〃　answered　De　Guiche。
〃Well；　it　has　happened　to　me　to　do　so　in　our　Blaisois
forests；　and　I　remember　that　the　first　time　I　encountered
one　with　its　eyes　fixed　upon　me；　curled　up；　swinging　its
head　and　pointing　its　tongue；　I　remained　fixed；　pale　and　as
though　fascinated；　until　the　moment　when　the　Comte　de　la
Fere　　〃
〃Your　father？〃　asked　De　Guiche。
〃No；　my　guardian；〃　replied　Raoul；　blushing。
〃Very　well　　〃
〃Until　the　moment　when　the　Comte　de　la　Fere；〃　resumed　Raoul；
〃said；　‘Come；　Bragelon